


Clean Up

by midget_boss



Series: One Universe Over [13]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Brotherly Bonding, Gen, Talking, pre-Codywan - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-14
Updated: 2020-11-14
Packaged: 2021-03-10 00:15:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 752
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27555196
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/midget_boss/pseuds/midget_boss
Summary: When the generals leave there's a rare moment for Cody and Rex to talk face to face. This is not the topic Cody would have chosen.
Relationships: CC-2224 | Cody & CT-7567 | Rex
Series: One Universe Over [13]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1924129
Comments: 2
Kudos: 89





	Clean Up

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [What Goes Around](https://archiveofourown.org/works/27554971) by [midget_boss](https://archiveofourown.org/users/midget_boss/pseuds/midget_boss). 



“Too bad I don’t have my bucket,” Rex announced when the sound of footsteps faded. “The looks on your faces should be preserved.”

“Why are you still here?” Cody demanded as he picked up his chest plate. “Show’s over.”

“I didn’t stay for a show,” Rex retorted. “I know you well enough to know when you want to be alone with someone. Or don’t want to be.”

“So you stayed for me?” Cody asked skeptically.

Rex grinned, all teeth. “Nope. I also know you well enough to know you don’t need me to protect you.”

“He wouldn’t, anyway,” Cody said. He didn’t need to acknowledge the rest of that.

“Do you want him to?” Rex asked, eyeing him narrowly.

“What’s the pool at?” Cody retorted, a little bitterly.

“I wouldn’t bet on you,” Rex replied, offended. At Cody’s look he shrugged. “Well, not on your love-life anyway.”

“Fox won’t let you bet,” Cody guessed shrewdly. Rex’s wince confirmed it.

“Claim’s insider information,” Rex groused, crossing his arms over his chest with a scowl.

“Then why are you so interested?” Cody demanded irritably.

“Can’t I just be worried about my vod?” Rex asked. He sighed when Cody just turned back to his armor. “We managed to get them to accept Commander Tano as part of the pool.”

Cody focused on his armor. He had to scrape off the middle of his sunburst entirely, along with most of the right trine and half of the left. It would be better to just remove all of it. That way he could get it even. The last time he’d painted his armor, though, Rex had been there as part of the battalion and Shameless had been there to help him. His hand clenched on his rag at the memory of their laughter that night.

“Hey,” Rex said softly. He crouched in front of Cody. “You okay?”

“Yeah,” Cody answered, a little surprised. The memory didn’t hurt the way it once had. “Just remembering last time.”

“Sorry. I didn’t mean to bring that up.” Rex sat down and pulled one of his thigh guards into his lap. He picked up an extra cloth.

“I thought you weren’t helping,” Cody said. He knocked his shoulder into Rex’s.

“I wasn’t,” Rex replied, pressing back.

“I’m okay,” Cody announced after he finished the chest piece. “It’s not like … back then.” Even he’s not entirely sure what he means.

“General Kenobi seems to be a good man,” Rex said carefully. “Heck of a fighter, takes time to talk to the men around him, always willing to throw himself right in.”

“Rex, are you trying to convince me?” Cody asked in disbelief.

Rex looked at him, his skepticism written on his face. “Cody, I’ve seen the two of you together plenty of times, on and off the battlefield. So have others. The betting pool isn’t for if it will happen, but when.”

“I may be predictable, but he’s a Jedi,” Cody reminded him.

“So’s Commander Tano and she joined the betting pool,” Rex replied with a shrug. “So is General Skywalker, and everyone except the willfully blind knows about that one.”

“Commander Tano is young enough that she doesn’t necessarily know how these things work,” Cody pointed out. “And your general seems to be an exception to many things.”

“Bly is courting his general,” Rex informed him smugly.

“He’s trying to,” Cody shot back. “Last I heard, it wasn’t going well.” They grin at each other.

“Yeah, but that’s probably all on him.” Rex replied, smirking now. “Surely you can do better.”

“If we were both interested, maybe,” Cody said. He shrugged and ducked his head. “I haven’t let myself think about it.”

“So think about it now.” Rex nudged Cody. He perked up suddenly. “I’ve got another bet for you.”

“What’s that?” Cody asked.

“I bet you two drinks that General Kenobi goes to Kix on his own,” Rex replied.

“I’m not touching that one,” Cody told him, shaking his head. “The general has some kind of agreement set up with each of the medics on the Negotiator. It does not surprise me he has something set up with Kix here.”

“That’s got to be hard to keep track of,” Rex mused thoughtfully.

“He loves this stuff,” Cody said with a faint smile. “As much as he loves his quiet time.”

Rex watched him with a slight smile. “I’ll keep you posted on the pool.”

“We get half,” Cody said without thinking. He shoved Rex when he grinned smugly. “Shut up.”

**Author's Note:**

> This was originally a coda to What Goes Around with Rex teasing Cody a little, but it grew.


End file.
